What is the significance of wearing the ‘Hazooria’?

A Hazooria refers to the scarf like material worn by Sikhs. The word Hazooria derives from the words Hazooria or hazoor meaning “Being ready; being in presence.”

There have been many maha-purkh (spiritual elevated persons) who have worn a hazooria, most of us don’t know the real significance of the hazooria, and why we should wear it.

5 K’s are the bare minimum and are not the full extent of Khalsa uniform. A hazooria is part of Khalsa uniform. It can be white or blue and past the waist in length. In Mehta Chownk (a Sikh education centre renowned for teaching and understanding Gurbani), all the Singhs have to have a hazooria to enter Guru Sahib’s hazoori hazoori (presence).

It is part of the tradition of panj kapare (five garments), comprising dastaar (turban), hazooria (long white scarf worn around the neck), long chola (dress), kamar-kasaa (material tied around the waist like a belt) and kachheraa (under-garment). Reference to this has been made by Bhai Gurdaas Ji as well.

A hazooria is a sign of humility and that’s why when doing ardaas it’s grasped. It is a constant reminder of surrendering your mind to your Guru, along with your 5 K’s. A Hazooria is very practicle. It helps you keep ‘suchamta’ (cleanliness) when during seva or reading Gurbani. If you want to keep your hands clean when scratching face or picking up something, you can use your hazooria.

Hazooria is usually worn by servants as they serve their master. For Sikhs, it similarly symbolizes servitude to the One and Only One True Master – Akaal Purakh and Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. In addition to humility, it signifies royalty. Kings in the past all wore long scarves (parnas) around the neck, hanging down. As a consequence of this, during marriages, the groom wears a ‘pallaa’/’parnaa’ (long scarf) around the neck in keeping with the grandeur of the occasion. A Gursikh who has received honour from the Guru and blessed with Amrit, wears his or her Hazooria as a mark of being a son or daughter of Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaj, but at the same time, the white colour of the Hazooria signifies humbleness.

While the kamar-kassaa (material tied around waist like a belt) symbolizes the readiness of a Sikh to do some active seva, or jump into battle the Hazooria is mark of a Sikh’s readiness to serve Guru Ji.

In the biography of Baba Harnam Singh Ji (Rampur Khera Wale), it describes a mystical experience which Baba Ji experienced and had the blessed vision (darshan) of Guru Gobind Singh Ji in his spiritual/mystical form and instructed him teachings about Ardaas and the wearing of the Hazooria. Below is a excerpt from the relevant chapter:

Baba Harnam Singh Ji

“The great Guru [in the spiritual form of Guru Gobind Singh Ji] then ordered Baba Ji to tell the sangat on his behalf that, “Whenever someone comes to pay their respects to Guru Granth Sahib Ji, then that person should have a hazooria around their neck. The old gursikhs used to keep a hazooria with them. If one is doing Ardaas with the hazooria around their neck I listen to them with great care and attention. A hazooria is a symbol of humility and servitude to the Lord Almighty. If a gursikh cannot keep a hazooria all day then he should wear it at least when coming to pay respects in front of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. This pleases us.”(Page 357 – “Se Kinehiya”)